Health Care Costs Not Going Down Anytime Soon

Photo: Bumrungrad International Hospital, Bangkok


Electronic Medical Records and the Cost of Health Care

I read recently about a marked increase in “medical tourism” by Americans. Patients travel to foreign countries for hip replacements, cardiac by-pass surgery, plastic procedures, gallbladder removal etc. India, Thailand and Malaysia are favorite destinations. It is claimed that the quality of care is on par with American health care, but the costs can be as little as 10% of the costs here at home. How can other countries using the same equipment and technologies that we have charge so much less. The answers can be complex and I intend to write about this in a future column, but much of the cost of medicine in the U.S. has little to do with costs of services or quality of care. American hospitals and doctors are saddled with many expenses that designer hospitals in India and Thailand are spared: oppressive government regulations, mandates to provide “free care” to everyone that refuses to pay (somebody has to pay), massive bureaucracies, malpractice claims and inflated costs for supplies are a few of the major factors. Soon a new financial millstone will be hung on the necks of health care providers in the name of efficiency and progress.

In less than two weeks the hospital that I work for will roll out their new, highly-touted EMR or electronic medical records system. Soon to be mandated by most states and nationally by 2012, EMRs are being promoted as a panacea to many of the problems now facing delivery of health care in the US.

Once complete nationwide, everyone’s health record will be permanently encoded in some computer server and will be readily available for review by any doctor that a patient may see. Can’t remember when you had your last tetanus shot? No problem, I’ll just check your information in our data bank. Had a bad reaction to some medicine eight years ago? Let me have a look at your EMR and I’ll be sure not to prescribe that for you again.

Of course, the value of the information depends upon the accuracy and completeness of what has been entered. Since this will be a compilation of information from different offices over your lifetime, it is likely that a great deal of misinformation, errors, omissions and incorrect opinions will accumulate in everyone’s record. You think doctors have lousy hand-writing? You should see most of us use a computer!

Besides the fear of “big brother” potentially having access to a centralized data bank of personal information, there are other issues that must be considered as we leap headlong into this brave new world. In our facilities it is estimated that “production” (i.e., number of patients seen) will drastically decrease while we learn to use the system. In our primary care offices a drop of 60% is anticipated for the first six months, then only 30% by 20 months! That means that an office that cares for 100 patients per week will only be able to see 40 patients, and then perhaps be up to 70 patients two years later. It is doubtful the system will ever allow doctors to see the volume that was seen pre-EMR. This is happening all over the country at a time when demand for health care continues to rise 10% per year in many parts of the country. How are doctors going to accommodate the demand while being limited by a system that is enigmatic and tedious for most of us?

All our doctors had to spend two days in training with the new EMR a few weeks ago in preparation for the big day when we will dispose of our pens, note pads and paper charts and go to a tablet notebook computer. Each patient will have to have several parts of the patient’s personal history, family history, social history (smoke? alcohol? employment? diet? exercise?, etc) completed before the program will allow the doctor to proceed. Much of this is not needed for simple problems such as sprained ankles or bladder infections. I can evaluate and treat an uncomplicated patient with a simple bladder infection, or UTI, is mere minutes, perhaps ten if I take some time and ask about the family or what do they think about the Colts this year. Using the new EMR system in a mock trial during training I could do it in 40 minutes! Now that will undoubtedly improve some with practice, but not that much.

So what is the incentive for hospitals and doctors to use a system that will decrease the number of patients that can be seen (and billed)? First, the government wants it (more on that in a minute). Second, by forcing us to fill in all the superfluous information the billing code can be “up coded.” That means that a code can be used that allows greater reimbursement from individuals and third-party payers. We can charge more because we supposedly have done more, even if it is only filling in useless information. Also, by having the doctors enter all this information, order lab tests and x-rays, write prescriptions on-line and digitally enter all the patient information, an army of ancillary personnel are no longer needed. Many fewer transcriptionists, unit secretaries and medical coders are needed. The labs, x-ray departments and pharmacies will need fewer people since all the clerical work will be done by the ordering physician.

The state and federal governments want this system for a number of reasons, but the one that concerns me most is that almost all the information that I enter on a patient is chosen from drop-down menus. In this way each fact in the history and physical exam will be recorded as a discrete datum point, as is the information on assessment and treatment. Thus, medical records will be easy to scan and analyze and profiles can be generated of exactly what Dr. Theo does for a given problem, what kinds of test he orders, what treatments he recommends, etc. This information will allow the insurance companies and government agencies to make decisions about reimbursement, licensure and certifications based upon whether I have followed the “guidelines” imposed by bureaucrats. Physicians will be required to practice according to the “guidelines” thus reducing medicine to somewhat less than a science and very much less than an art. Mediocrity will pay. There may even come a time when computer programs can be written that generate treatments without any professional decision-making. “Cookbook medicine” will have arrived. It may only be accurate 80% of the time, but, hey, that’s close enough for government work.

Inseparable True Religion and Civil Liberty

American Minute from William J. Federer

He lost two sons in the Revolution, was the only clergyman to sign the Declaration and served on 120 Congressional Committees. His name was John Witherspoon, and he died NOVEMBER 15, 1794.

Born in Scotland, he was a descendant of John Knox.

John Witherspoon was President of Princeton, leader of a New Jersey committee to abolish slavery, and taught 9 of the writers of the U.S. Constitution, including James Madison. His other Princeton students include a U.S. Vice-President, Supreme Court Justices, Cabinet Members, Governors, Senators and Congressmen.

John Adams described John Witherspoon as "A true son of liberty...but first, he was a son of the Cross."

On May 17, 1776, the day Congress declared a Day of Fasting, Rev. John Witherspoon told his Princeton students: "He is the best friend to American liberty, who is most...active in promoting true and undefiled religion...to bear down profanity and immorality of every kind. Whoever is an avowed enemy of God, I scruple not to call him an enemy of his country. It is in the man of piety and inward principle that we may...find the uncorrupted patriot, the useful citizen, and the invincible soldier."

John Witherspoon concluded: "God grant that in America true religion and civil liberty may be inseparable."

William J. Federer is a nationally recognized author, speaker, and president of Amerisearch, Inc, which is dedicated to researching our American heritage. The American Minute radio feature looks back at events in American history on the dates they occurred, is broadcast daily across the country and read by thousand on the internet.

Michelle Obama: Finally Proud of Her Country

Michelle Obama has apparently come a long way in her appreciation of America.


"What a country"

"For the first time in my adult lifetime, I'm really proud of my country"




"It's easier to hold on to your own stereotypes and misconceptions, it makes you feel justified in your own ignorance...That's America"




Hmmm. My love for and pride in my country has never been dependent on my winning something or someone I love winning something.

What does that say about you when the level of your patriotism is based on the level of your personal gain?

McCain T-Shirt at School Garners Hostile Reactions

Catherine Vogt, a 14-year-old girl in Illinois got a lesson in tolerance from the oh-so-tolerant Left when she wore a McCain t-shirt to school recently. (see video below)

She conducted an experiment by wearing on one occasion an Obama t-shirt and on another a McCain t-shirt and recorded the responses.

While most people at her school liked the Obama shirt, both peers and teachers had strongly adverse reactions to the McCain shirt.

Among the comments she received about the McCain shirt were that she should be "burned with her shirt on" for "being a filthy-rich Republican," and that she should be crucified (only the product of public education who told her this mangled the word and said she "should be crucifixed").

It sounds like most of these mush-minded young people and the mush-minded liberals teaching them reacted like good little sheep and followed what the "mainstream" media and the rest of pop-culture told them they should think about a conservative or semi-conservative candidate.

Anyone who thinks our public school system isn't a breeding ground for liberalism really needs to watch this video and think about how the values you're trying to instill in your children may be undermined when you send them to school.

This is just one more incident where the cries for "tolerance" from the Left have become an indictment of hypocrisy. If anything good can come of all the juvenile behavior coming out of liberals in recent weeks, it would be good if this could move us beyond all the crying and whining about "intolerance" we get from the Left, allowing us to move on to substantive debate on the issues.

But I'm not holding my breath.

Parker: Does Cathy define America?

BY STAR PARKER
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
COALITION ON URBAN RENEWAL & EDUCATION

I retrieve and open a large envelope from today's pile of mail.

Inside is a press release announcing "Chik-fil-A Founder to Receive 2008 William E. Simon Prize for Philanthropic Leadership."

I discover that Chik-fil-A founder is 87-year-old Atlanta businessman S. Truett Cathy. Reading about Cathy, amidst today's headlines, I am wondering if his story is what America is about, or was about.

Cathy built, and today is owner/operator, of the privately held Chik-fil-A fast food chain, with more than 1400 locations and sales of over $2.6 billion dollars. He's from humble roots in rural Georgia and opened the first Chik-fil-A store in Atlanta in 1967.

In contrast to stereotypes equating business, particularly big business, to greed, Cathy's life and work has been defined by service and Christian charity. The corporate mission statement of Chik-fil-A is "To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us. To have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chik-fil-A."

Chil-fil-A stores are closed on Sunday to allow employees to devote the day to faith and family.

Cathy established a scholarship fund in 1973 for Chik-fil-A employees and to date around 23,000 have received more than $24 million in scholarship funds. In 1984 he established the WinShape Foundation which last year alone spent $18 million supporting a network of foster homes, camps, scholarships, and marriage counseling programs.

The Simon Prize, which Cathy has just received, is awarded by the William E. Simon Foundation, established by Simon, who was the 63rd Treasury Secretary of the United States.

Like Cathy, Simon believed in America, in freedom and free enterprise, and was a man of faith. The giving themes of his foundation, as noted on the foundation's website, are in the areas of "education, faith, and family."

Unlike Cathy, Simon built his wealth in the area which is now quintessentially associated with greed -- finance. Before becoming Treasury Secretary in 1974, he was a Wall Street bond trader at Salomon Brothers. After, he set up firms dealing in mergers and acquisitions, financial services, and banking.

As Wall Street executives are dragged to hearings, to be mocked, blamed, and threatened by Democratic Banking Chairman Chris Dodd, it's worth quoting Simon, who passed away in 2000, as his creed appears on his foundation's website:

"The free enterprise system has blessed the United States of America with the greatest prosperity, the highest standards of living, and, most important, the greatest individual freedom known to man. If we can preserve this system, and our freedom, we can look forward to turning over to our children, and our children's children, an America that is more productive, prosperous, and stronger economically, financially, morally, and spiritually, than the one we inherited."

How, from this, did we become a nation of blame, bailouts, and entitlement?

Wal-Mart has just released its quarterly report showing sales and earnings up 7.5 percent and 9.8 percent respectively. Wal-Mart, founded and built by one of America's great entrepreneurs, has been under endless attack from the political left. Now, in tough times, Americans are happy to have a source of low priced, high quality merchandise.

Average nationwide retail gasoline prices this week are $1.95 less a gallon compared to July -- a drop of almost 50 percent. In a Gallup poll done last year, most Americans attributed high gasoline prices to oil company greed. Are they going down now because oil companies are becoming generous?

No doubt, these are hard times.

Here's my prediction. The more Americans believe that our future depends on politicians, political fixes, and bailouts, the bleaker our future will be.

If we see America as a country defined by men like S. Truett Cathy, Bill Simon, and Sam Walton, we'll re-establish firm footing on American principles and re-build our country, our prosperity, and our leadership.

Star Parker is president of the Coalition on Urban Renewal & Education and author of the new book White Ghetto: How Middle Class America Reflects Inner City Decay.

Prior to her involvement in social activism, Star Parker was a single welfare mother in Los Angeles, California. After receiving Christ, Star returned to college, received a BS degree in marketing and launched an urban Christian magazine. The 1992 Los Angeles riots destroyed her business, yet served as a springboard for her focus on faith and market-based alternatives to empower the lives of the poor.

New Zealand Researchers Talk about Causes of Homosexuality

Dr. Neil Whitehead, PhD is a research scientist in New Zealand who has worked with the New Zealand government for 24 years and with the UN for four years. His wife Briar is a journalist and writer.

Today's Friday 5 from CitizenLink talks to Dr. and Mrs. Whitehead about their research into the causes of homosexuality.

Many homosexuals claim there is a genetic cause which predetermines homosexual behavior, but this is an attempt to avoid moral responsibility for one's choices.

Among the many causes of homosexuality, Dr. Whitehead lists sexual abuse, failure to identify with masculinity or rebellion against it, exclusion and bullying, and other things.

People have been leaving homosexual behavior behind for thousands of years, and only recently has it become a "professional" opinion among some that homosexual behavior cannot be changed.

Dr. Neil and Briar Whitehead spoke at the annual NARTH conference in Denver recently. They shared some of their insights with Kim Trobee.

The Essence of Keith Olbermann

This is a cute video (and about all I can stand) of MSNBC ultra-ultra-ultra Leftist "newsman" Keith Olbermann, or as I often think of him, Max Headroom.

Isn't he hhhhchorible?

Get the latest news satire and funny videos at 236.com.

Homosexual Activists Plan Hate Rally to Stop the Hate

In the wake of the defeat of homosexual activism in California last week, we are seeing the true colors of the homosexual agenda come out.

According to OneNewsNow, homosexual activists are planning a day of intolerance tomorrow where they will express their intolerance for the political opinion of 52% of Californians who voted against Proposition 8 to protect marriage from being counterfeited in that state.

They are using catchy phrases for their festival of intolerance such as "Fight the Hate" (using a cute "Fight the H8" logo).

I suppose if they want to "fight the hate," they'll all be staying home tomorrow. I think the many examples homosexual activists keep showing Americans of their vociferous lack of "tolerance" for sexual normality, morality, representative democracy, the rule of law, and anyone elses opinion have shown far more real hate than the voters have shown in stating with their vote that marriage should not be hijacked.

Homosexual activists throw around words like "intolerance" and "hate" in an attempt to intimidate people of morality. Like the schoolyard bully, their plan is to quash dissent with name calling so they can do what they want with impunity. It has worked quite well for the past 15 years or more.

However, the situation in California has caused them to tip their hand. They got all happy when their judicial activist buddies in the California Supreme Court decided to manufacture a "right" for homosexuals to call their unions "marriage" and usurped the role of the legislature and the people.

When the people stood up against this judicial activism and took the issue to a vote of the people...and the people had the audacity to tell these selfish people, "No, you can't counterfeit our most important institution in order to make yourself feel better," they responded like spoiled brats and the self-centered malcontents they are.

They called for violence and murder against the people who voted to protect marriage. They ripped a cross out of an old lady's hand, stomped on it and shouted her down as a reporter attempted to interview her. They've stolen and vandalized private property. They have disrupted church services with yelling profanities, blasphemies and throwing condoms. They've burned a holy text on the doorstep of a church. And since blacks voted to protect marriage by a 70-30% margin, they've resorted to calling black people "niggers" and such.

Pretty tolerant, huh?

Why such hostility toward sexual normality? Why such hostility toward marriage that they want to hijack and counterfeit it? Why such hostility toward the family? Why such hostility toward society, which depends on the stability provided by marriage and family?

So yes, if they really want to "fight the hate," homosexual activists should stay home and let decent people live in peace. Maybe they should meditate on the morality of their actions, both in the bedroom and in the streets. They might find some serious changes of the heart are needed, and if they have the courage to make them, the world could very quickly become a better place.

I'd love to be surprised, but I won't be holding my breath.

Obama May See Russia From Front Porch

When you don't stand up to bullies, thugs and other bad guys, they become emboldened.

How long will it take President-elect Barack Obama to learn this lesson?



From our friends at Americans for Limited Government.

Terrorist Bill Ayers Interview on ABC

Below is the video of domestic terrorist Bill Ayers on Good Morning America.(To the left is a pic of Ayers in a 2001 NYT article doing what he does best: trampling the American flag)

In the ABC interview, he admits having served on boards with Barack Obama, having helped launch Obama's career in his living room, and that Obama was a "family friend."

If you happened to have heard any of the minuscule "mainstream" media coverage of Obama's association with this Marxist anti-American terrorist, you might know that Ayers helped found the Weather Underground terrorist group that bombed the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, along with several court houses and police stations.

Ayers even said on September 11, 2001--the day terrorists killed nearly 3,000 Americans--that "I don't regret setting bombs. I feel we didn't do enough."

He is now trying to distance himself from this statement since his buddy is headed for the White House, but he actually said it. You can read a quote of Ayers saying that here at the New York Times.

You can find out what Bill Ayers believes from his terrorist manifesto "Prairie Fire" here.

Ayers lists some of the places his organization bombed in Prairie Fire:

- Haymarket police statue, Chicago

- Chicago police cars

- New York City police headquarters

- Marin County Courthouse

- Long Island City Courthouse

- Department of Corrections, San Francisco

- Office of California Prisons, Sacramento

- Department of Corrections, Albany NY

- 103rd Precinct of New York City police

- Harvard Center for International Affairs

- U.S. Capitol

- MIT research center

- The Pentagon

- Draft and recruiting centers

- ROTC buildings

- ITT Latin America Headquarters

- National Guard Headquarters, Washington D.C.

- Presidio Army Base and MP Station, San Francisco

- Federal Offices of Health, Education and Welfare, San Francisco

This is what Ayers thinks of your country, Americans:

We are a guerrilla organization. We are communist women and men, underground in the United States for more than four years. We are deeply affected by the historic events of our time in the struggle against U.S. imperialism.

Our intention is to disrupt the empire, to incapacitate it, to put pressure on the cracks, to make it hard to carry out its bloody functioning against the people of the world, to join the world struggle, to attack from the inside.

Our intention is to engage the enemy, to wear away at him, to harass him, to isolate him, to expose every weakness, to pounce, to reveal his vulnerability.

And though Ayers doesn't bomb buildings anymore, his hatred of America hasn't changed. Just this year, he has railed against capitalism and the United States on his blog.

I don't know about you, but I don't associate with people who are radically opposed to what I hold dear, or who love things I despise. Do you?

Are we really to believe that our president-elect is so different in his sentiments than Bill Ayers?

Of his friendship and association with Obama, Ayers says, "I don't buy the idea that guilt by association should have any part of our politics."

Really?

American voter, would you vote for a business associate and family friend of Osama bin Laden?

American voter, would you vote for a business associate and family friend of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh?

What have we done, America?

Newsbusted Conservative Comedy 11/14/2008

Topics in today's show: Russia plans to deploy missiles near Poland, voter turnout in '08 about the same, Simon Cowell swears off women, and "CSI: Miami's" David Caruso gets stalked

Couric Prepped for Palin Interview with Obama Allies

Remember the hit-job interview Katie Couric did with Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin?

Like me, did you get the feeling that the interview was a little hostile, from the point of the interviewer?

No wonder.

Peter Kafka points to a report from Portfolio.com’s Jeff Bercovici who was told by Couric that she consulted with the Democrat opposition before ambushing Palin.

Couric shed some light on her preparation for the interviews: Beforehand, she sought advice from former senator Sam Nunn and Council on Foreign Relations president Richard Haas. They told her to draw Palin out on her geopolitical worldview and urged her to let the governor speak at length without interrupting her. Maybe she should bring them along with her when she takes over at Meet the Press?”

Kafka notes that the origin of this quote has since been pulled and is no longer available online. Hmmm. Cat got out of the bag, huh?

In what universe (other than the fantasyland of the liberal mind) would an interview be considered "objective" or "nonpartisan" or "unbiased" when the interviewer asked the interviewee's opposition beforehand for advice on how to best ambush the interviewee?

If the "mainstream" media is going to ambush interviewees, fine, but do it on the Left and Right. If the "mainstream" media is going to toss gentle softballs to interviewees and avoid tough questions, fine, but do it on the Left and Right.

The "mainstream" media has been nothing but a propaganda arm of the DNC for decades, and that truth shone like never before during this election.

HT to Newsbusters.

Post Election, Terrorist Ayers Admits Obama a 'Family Friend'

The "mainstream" media worked pretty hard to keep Barack Obama's association with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers quiet during the election.

But now that it's over, we see a candid admission in the Chicago Sun-Times from Ayers that, yes, they did work together and yes, they were friends and yes, he did help launch Obama's political career in his house.

A little more than the "guy in my neighborhood" that Obama said he was.

From the Chicago Sun-Times yesterday:

Ayers, a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, adds few new details about his relationship with Obama in the afterword to Fugitive Days: Memoirs of an Anti-War Activist. The book is being reissued this month.

“We had served together on the board of a foundation, knew one another as neighbors and family friends, held an initial fund-raiser at my house, where I’d made a small donation to his earliest political campaign,” he writes.

Now Ayers is claiming he didn't really say what he said on 911:

"I don't regret setting bombs. I feel we didn't do enough."

Really?

Sorry, Mr. Ayers, I know that Marxists like you love to revise history but you just don't get to in this case.

Here is a link to a New York Times article published September 11, 2001 in which Ayers is quoted by Dinitia Smith making this statement.

So, America: how does it feel having elected a president who is the "family friend" of an unrepentant domestic terrorist who helped launch the president-elects political career in his living room?

Obama Already Shaky on Missile Defense

In this video, former UN ambassador John Bolton talks about President-elect Barack Obama's weakness on our missile defense system.

The Russians don't like it (surprise) and Obama appears ready to placate them.

Obama also says he's uneasy about doing anything positive about our missile defense system until it's "proven" its effectiveness.

As hard as it may be to believe, apparently our president-elect seems unaware that our missile defense system has been online for several years now. It has gone through multiple successful tests and was even used to knock down a failing satellite earlier this year.

You might recall that Ronald Reagan toppled the monolithic Soviet Union by refusing to compromise on missile defense...not kowtowing to the wishes of belligerent nations.

But Obama's intentions with regard to missile defense--and other key areas of our national defense--are really no mystery. He has already told us here that he plans to gut missile defense, cut future combat systems and degrade our nuclear arsenal.

We're in deep trouble, folks.

Obama on Christianity, Faith in the Public Square: Don't Get Bit by Bad Dogma

My fellow South Dakota blogger Cory Heidelberger at Madville Times has a piece on the Obamessiah Barack Obama and religious views today.

Cory seems to take comfort in Obama's religious doubts. Cory quotes Obama from an interview with Chicago Sun-Times columnist Cathleen Falsani on March 27, 2004:

I think that religion at its best comes with a big dose of doubt.

Barack Obama may think doubt is a good thing when it comes to faith (aren't "doubt" and "faith" antithetical?) but as usual Obama (like many other liberals) substitutes the flawed wisdom of this world for God's truth.

When you take a look at what the Bible says about doubt, it really doesn't have anything good to say about this state of disbelief:

Matthew 14:31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

Matthew 21:21 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done.

Matthew 28:17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.

Mark 11:23 "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.

Luke 24:38 He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?

John 20:27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

James 1:6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

The Bible describes faith in terms quite the opposite of doubt:

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. - Hebrews 11:1

Contrary to the negative way in which the Bible refers to doubt, it speaks rather highly of faith:

Matthew 8:10 When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.

Matthew 8:26 He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

Matthew 13:58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

Matthew 15:28 Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

Matthew 21:21 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done.

Matthew 24:10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other

Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

Mark 4:40 He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

Mark 6:6 And he was amazed at their lack of faith.

Mark 11:22 "Have faith in God," Jesus answered.

Romans 3:22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Romans 5:2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.

Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message,

There are actually many, many more examples where faith--as opposed to doubt--is highly praised and pointed to as essential to salvation.

Another statement from Obama should be troubling for the Christian:

And I'm not somebody who is always comfortable with language that implies I've got a monopoly on the truth, or that my faith is automatically transferable to others.

That's too bad, because Jesus made it pretty clear that He has a monopoly on the truth, and if you're believing what Christ said, you're going to be pretty connected to the One who does have a monopoly on the truth. Jesus also made it clear that it is "transferable" to all people (whether they accept it or not):

John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 3:16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

Matthew 5:13-16 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven

Colossians 1:28We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

Romans 5:19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

I will pass for the moment on Obama's comments about the "separation of church and state" and "theocracy." I have dealt with these before at some length, but today I primarily want to answer Obama's dangerous theological errors.

But there is one additional Obama statement I'd like to comment on:

I think there is an enormous danger on the part of public figures to rationalize or justify their actions by claiming God's mandate.

I think there is this tendency that I don't think is healthy for public figures to wear religion on their sleeve as a means to insulate themselves from criticism, or dialogue with people who disagree with them.

It certainly could be the case that some politicians might do this. Perhaps Obama has even done it himself?

Probably the best way to detect behavior of this nature is when on one hand the politician professes religious faith, but the politician's behavior or advocacy is in contradiction to the clear teachings of that faith (say, perhaps when a politician defends killing unborn children and some born ones, or say when a politician supports the legitimization of a sexual practice that the Bible makes abundantly clear in both Old and New Testaments is wrong).

But I do not think it is wrong in the slightest for a public official to state the rightness or the wrongness of a public policy based on the clear teachings of Christianity. After all, our nation was founded by Christians on Christian principles, and they recognized the vital role that religion and morality play in a free and successful civilization.

The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were…the general principles of Christianity. – John Adams

Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion whose morality is so sublime and pure…are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments. – Charles Carroll, signer of the Declaration of Independence

Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters. – Benjamin Franklin

Whatever makes men good Christians, makes them good citizens. – Daniel Webster

Sensible of the importance of Christian piety and virtue to the order and happiness of a state, I cannot but earnestly commend to you every measure for their support and encouragement – John Hancock

The law…dictated by God Himself is, of course, superior in obligation to any other. It is binding over all the globe, in all countries, and at all times. No human laws are of any validity if contrary to this. – Alexander Hamilton, signer of the Constitution

The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained. – George Washington’s Inaugural Address

We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. – John Adams

Let it never be forgotten that there can be no genuine freedom where there is no morality, and no sound morality where there is no religion…Hesitate not a moment to believe that the man who labors to destroy these two great pillars of human happiness…is neither a good patriot nor a good man. – Jeremiah Smith, Revolutionary soldier, judge, U.S. Congressman, Governor of New Hampshire

Religion and morality…are necessary to good government, good order and good laws, for “when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice” – William Paterson, signer of the Constitution, U.S. Supreme Court Justice

It yet remains a problem to be solved in human affairs whether any free government can be permanent where the public worship of God and the support of religion constitute no part of the policy or duty of the state in any assignable shape. – Joseph Story, U.S. Supreme Court Judge, Father of American Jurisprudence

Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers. - John Jay, first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court

It is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. Religion and virtue are the only foundations…of republicanism and of all free governments. – John Adams

The Holy Scriptures…can alone secure to society, order and peace, and to our courts of justice and constitutions of government, purity, stability, and usefulness. In vain, without the Bible, we increase penal laws and draw entrenchments around our institutions. Bibles are strong entrenchments. Where they abound, men cannot pursue wicked courses. – James McHenry, signer of the Constitution, Secretary of War

Religion and morality are the essential pillars of civil society – George Washington

Human law must rest its authority ultimately upon the authority of that law which is divine. – James Wilson, signer of the Constitution, U.S. Supreme Court Judge

Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness. – George Washington’s Presidential Farewell Address

While the people are virtuous, they cannot be subdued; but when once they lose their virtue, they will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader. – Samuel Adams

No country on earth ever had it more in its power to attain these blessings than United America. Wondrously strange, then, and much to be regretted indeed it would be, were we to neglect the means and to depart from the road which Providence has pointed us to so plainly; I cannot believe it will ever come to pass. – George Washington (how deeply sad that we have betrayed Washington’s confidence)

It should therefore be among the first objects of those who wish well to the national prosperity to encourage and support the principles of religion and morality. – Abraham Baldwin, signer of the Constitution

The practice of morality being necessary for the well-being of society…We all agree in the obligation of the moral precepts of Jesus and nowhere will they be found delivered in greater purity than in His discourses. – Thomas Jefferson

Christianity to which the sword and the fagot [burning stake or hot branding iron] are unknown—general tolerant Christianity is the law of the land. – Daniel Webstser

Righteousness alone can exalt them [America] as a nation…The great pillars of all government and of social life: I mean virtue, morality and religion. This is the armor, my friend, and this alone, that renders us invincible. – Patrick Henry.

When a citizen gives his suffrage [vote] to a man of known immorality he abuses his trust [civic responsibility]; he sacrifices not only his own interest, but that of his neighbor; he betrays the interest of his country. – Noah Webster

I believe that religion is the only solid base of morals and that morals are the only possible support of free governments. Therefore education should teach the precepts of religion and the duties of man toward God. – Gouverneur Morris, penman and signer of the Constitution

Whoever is an avowed enemy of God, I scruple not to call him an enemy to his country…God grant that in America true religion and civil liberty may be inseparable and that the unjust attempts to destroy one may in the issue tend to the support and establishment of both. – John Witherspoon, signer of the Declaration

When Alaska Governor Sarah Palin runs for president headlining her own ticket in four years, I'm glad we'll have a candidate to support who doesn't think he or she is smarter than God.

Senator Thune in Running for Republican Conference Vice Chair

KELO reports Senator John Thune is in the running for a top leadership post in the Senate Republican caucus.

The conference vice-chair is the number five spot in the Republican senate leadership ranking. Thune stands a very good chance of winning the post. So far, he's running unopposed. But while Thune doesn't want to take his prospects for granted, he's certain the job would be good for South Dakota.

Roll Call also reported on this last week.

Thune is currently serving as chief deputy whip.

He's not doing too bad for someone in their first senate term.

Dakota Voice wishes you Godspeed, Senator Thune! Hope you get the spot!

Have a Holly Jolly Tossmas

This video from CitizenLink illustrates in a humorous way the politically correct, anti-Christian, silly practice some retailers have of not saying "Christmas" around the holiday that we all know is "Christmas" (in a country where about 84% of Americans identify with Christianity anyway).

Can't you just hear those great old Christmas songs spiffed up for the secularist in you:

I'll Be Home for Tossmas
Holly Jolly Tossmas
Have Yourself a Merry Little Tossmas
O Tossmas Tree
The Night Before Tossmas
White Tossmas
The Twelve Days of Tossmas
We Wish You a Merry Tossmas

You can even sing all those great songs gathered 'round your Tossmas Tree!

It's "Tossmas" time again. In his Stoplight® video commentary, Stuart Shepard politely asks retailers to please at least acknowledge the name of the holiday that falls on Dec. 25. Otherwise, their catalogs may meet an unfortunate end.

Let retailers know you care how they treat Christmas by signing Focus on the Family Action's "I Stand for Christmas" petition. Also, check our list to see which retailers are Christmas-friendly.

Book of Mormon Burned on Church Doorstep

A Mormon church in Littleton, Colorado had a Book of Mormon burned on the church's doorstep Tuesday night.

The Denver Channel reports here with text and video on the incident. A couple of men were sitting in a vehicle in the parking lot prior to the incident, and witnesses don't believe they were church members.

It is suspected that the arson was committed against this church because of the stand taken by the Mormon Church in support of California's marriage protection amendment, Proposition 8.

Since the measure passed in last week's election, there have been several incidents of anger, violence and disruption. These incidents have included racial epithets hurled at black people (blacks supported the measure 70%-30%), disruption of a church service by homosexual activists, stealing and vandalizing private property, intimidating and assaulting an old lady with a cross, and public calls for violence and murder against Prop 8 supporters.

We haven't seen a whole lot of "tolerance" from the apostles of tolerance from the homosexual community lately.

Homosexual activists have put their best face forward in recent decades, in accordance with the positive PR strategy advised by "After the Ball," a book written by homosexual activists advising the homosexual community to hide its undesirable elements and present a positive image.

However, it seems that when the people assert "government of the people" and wrest public policy from homosexual activists and their judicial activist allies, all that composure goes flying out the window and we see what really lies beneath: pride, arrogance and a whole lot of hate.

They don't care about "government of the people, by the people and for the people." They don't care about representative democracy. They don't care about the rule of law. They don't care about constitutions. They don't care about what's good for children. They don't care about what's best for society. They don't care about natural behavior. They don't care about morality. They don't care about living as the Creator created us to and told us to.

All they care about is what they want.

New Life Amidst Death in Vietnam

American Minute from William J. Federer

The Vietnam War Memorial was dedicated NOVEMBER 13, 1982, honoring 58,000 American troops who died.

U.S. forces inflicted over a million enemy fatalities, yet politicians did not allow a victory.

A former Communist North Vietnamese colonel, Bui Tin, called the American "peace movement" essential: "Every day our leadership would listen to the world news over the radio to follow the growth of the American anti-war movement. Visits to Hanoi by people like Jane Fonda and former Attorney General Ramsey Clark gave us confidence that we should hold on in the face of battlefield reverses."

On October 12, 1967, during Operation Medina, Marine Sergeant George Hutchings of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Division, had a dozen men killed around him when ambushed by North Vietnamese in the Hai Lang jungle.

Months later, after numerous battles, George was shot three times, bayoneted and left for dead. He survived and was later awarded the Purple Heart.

Of the Vietnam Memorial, George Hutchings said: "On that wall is the name of Corporal Quinton Bice, who was hit in the chest with a rocket running a patrol in my place. A Christian, he had shared the Gospel with me, but I didn't understand it till he gave his life in my place."

William J. Federer is a nationally recognized author, speaker, and president of Amerisearch, Inc, which is dedicated to researching our American heritage. The American Minute radio feature looks back at events in American history on the dates they occurred, is broadcast daily across the country and read by thousand on the internet.

ENDNOTES:

Taken from The Wall Street Journal, Thursday August 3, 1995: What did the North Vietnamese leadership think of the American antiwar movement? What was the purpose of the Tet Offensive? How could the U.S. have been more successful in fighting the Vietnam War? Bui Tin, a former colonel in the North Vietnamese army, answers these questions in the following excerpts from an interview conducted by Stephen Young, a Minnesota attorney and human-rights activist. Bui Tin, who served on the general staff of North Vietnam's army, received the unconditional surrender of South Vietnam on April 30, 1975. He later became editor of the People's Daily, the official newspaper of Vietnam. He now lives in Paris, where he immigrated after becoming disillusioned with the fruits of Vietnamese communism. Question: How did Hanoi intend to defeat the Americans? Answer: By fighting a long war which would break their will to help South Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh said, "We don't need to win military victories, we only need to hit them until they give up and get out." Q: Was the American antiwar movement important to Hanoi's victory? A: It was essential to our strategy. Support of the war from our rear was completely secure while the American rear was vulnerable. Every day our leadership would listen to world news over the radio at 9 a.m. to follow the growth of the American antiwar movement. Visits to Hanoi by people like Jane Fonda, and former Attorney General Ramsey Clark and ministers gave us confidence that we should hold on in the face of battlefield reverses. We were elated when Jane Fonda, wearing a red Vietnamese dress, said at a press conference that she was ashamed of American actions in the war and that she would struggle along with us. Sgt Grit, 7100 SW 44th St., OKC, OK 73179, Email: contact@grunt.com http://www.grunt.com/scuttlebutt/corps-stories/vietnam/north.asphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bui_Tin Sergeant George Hutchings of the First Battalion Fifth Marine Division, Charlie Company, recipient of the Purple Heart. George Hutchings, 400 Tumulty, Ballwin, MO 63021, (636) 394-0310, georgeeaglewings@aol.com.

The Intolerance of the Tolerant: The Beat Goes On

If homosexual activists keep showing bigoted Americans like me how to display "tolerance," I'm going to run out of creative or semi-creative titles for these posts.

The latest example of homosexual "tolerance" comes from LifeSiteNews. Since black Americans voted in favor of California's marriage protection amendment Proposition 8 by a 70%-30% margin, apparently "tolerance" in the homosexual handbook involves calling black people by the dreaded "n" word.

One reader of Rod 2.0, a leading gay blog by an African-American, reported that when he joined the large homosexual protest outside Westwood's Mormon Temple, protesters called him a "nigger" at least twice.

"It was like being at a klan rally except the klansmen were wearing Abercrombie polos and Birkenstocks," wrote the commenter.

"YOU NIGGER, one man shouted at men (sic). If your people want to call me a FAGGOT, I will call you a nigger. Someone else said same thing to me on the next block near the temple ... me and my friend were walking, he is also gay but Korean, and a young WeHo clone said after last night the niggers better not come to West Hollywood if they knew what was BEST for them."

Another African-American reader from Los Angeles reports that he and his boyfriend, also black, were harassed about their race despite their prominently carrying "No on 8" signs.

Now I know that I've been very "intolerant" of homosexuals and their desire to not only sodomize one another but to call their unions "marriage" and use restrooms of the opposite sex and things like that. I've been hateful enough to repeat God's warnings against homosexual behavior and warn them of the tremendous health risks involved with homosexual behavior.

I only hope that someday I can live up to the level of "tolerance" modeled for me by the apostles of tolerance in the homosexual community.

Kinda makes you want to just run out and let them counterfeit marriage right now, doesn't it?

The Intolerance of the Tolerant: The Next Chapter

Homosexuals preach tolerance like a religious mantra. Yet I have to wonder if they'd like to see "tolerance" practiced by Christians and conservatives the way they model "tolerance." (See video below)

Just in the last week, we've seen the apostles of tolerance talk about murder and other violence against people for exercising their right to vote.

We've also seen the apostles of tolerance grab a cross out of an old lady's hand an stomp on it, then shout down the lady and the reporter trying to interview the lady.

A couple of weeks before that we saw the apostles of tolerance stealing and vandalizing private property.

And this past weekend, homosexual activists, er, apostles of tolerance went to a church in Lansing, Michigan and disrupted the services. The infiltrated the service, handed out homosexual propaganda, threw condoms around the church, hung up an obscene banner and showed a couple of lesbians making out. They also shouted "Jesus was gay" and hurled profanities.

Maybe it's just me, but if I were pressed to make a judgment call (as icky as such things are to some folks), after thinking about it real hard, I'd have to say that repeating God's condemnation of homosexuality is just a little more tolerant than going onto another group's private property, insulting them and their deepest religious beliefs, disrupting their meeting and acting in a lewd manner with the specific intent of insulting them.

But then, I know that's one of those icky judgments that non-religious people think religious people aren't supposed to make, based on religious text that they don't believe in.

But then, aren't these homosexual activists making a judgment when they make that determination? Aren't they being intolerant of someone else?

Hmmm. Maybe homosexual activists don't really believe in tolerance after all.

Hope
by luvnews

If Republicans Enjoy Minority, Keep the Current Congressional Leadership

As much as I hate to say it, Republicans deserved to remain in the minority in congress this year.

Now I've considered myself a Republican since before I could vote, so I'm not some some wild-eyed MoveOn.orger saying this.

Think about it: what did Republicans do to deserve leadership of congress? I'm not asking if Democrats deserve it; did Republicans do anything to merit being awarded leadership of congress?

Do you hear the crickets chirping? So do I.

Did they expect the voters to give it to them simply because they're not as bad as the Democrats? That might have cut the mustard in some bygone age, but in this age of cynicism and lack of ideological education on the part of the general public, that dog don't hunt.

Oh, there were some individual cases and races where the Republican candidate was clearly a better choice than the Democrat. Here in South Dakota, Joel Dykstra would have made a far better choice than incumbent Senator Tim Johnson both on the basis of ideology and capability. Chris Lien also showed the kind of proactive fact-finding, solution-oriented leadership that incumbent Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin has only dared dream of.

But in those marginal races where the question of a candidate's contribution to majority-party leadership could have tipped the balance, there was simply nothing there to make the scales fall on the other side...

READ MORE...

The Reason for the Mayflower Voyage

American Minute from William J. Federer

Storms blew the Pilgrims too far north to be under Jamestown's government, so they created their own - the Mayflower Compact. It was the first constitution written in America.

It began: "In ye name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwritten, the loyall subjects of our dread soveraigne Lord, King James, by ye grace of God, of Great Britaine, France, & Ireland king, defender of ye faith, etc., having undertaken, for ye glorie of God, and advancemente of ye Christian faith, and honour of our king & countrie, a voyage to plant ye first colonie in ye Northerne parts of Virginia..."

The Mayflower Compact continued: "Doe by these presents solemnly & mutually in ye presence of God, and one of another, covenant & combine our selves togeather into a civill body politick, for our better ordering & preservation & furtherance of ye ends aforesaid; and...to enacte...such just & equall lawes...as shall be thought most meete & convenient for ye generall good of ye Colonie, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience."

The Mayflower Compact ended: "In witnes wherof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cap-Codd ye 11 of NOVEMBER, Ano:Dom. 1620."

William J. Federer is a nationally recognized author, speaker, and president of Amerisearch, Inc, which is dedicated to researching our American heritage. The American Minute radio feature looks back at events in American history on the dates they occurred, is broadcast daily across the country and read by thousand on the internet.

Texas Legislature to Consider Sonogram Law

The Texas legislature will be looking at a bill to provide sonograms to women seeking abortions much like the South Dakota legislature did in 2008.

Nationally about 90% of women who see a sonogram of their unborn child change their mind about having abortion and let their child live.

This is, of course, bad for business in the eyes of the abortion industry, which is why they fight it so vehemently.

Usually, more information is better, especially with regard to medical procedures.

When you ask pro-abortionists, however, with regard to their holy sacrament, ignorance is bliss.

Rahm Emanuel on Obama's Nazi-esqe Civilian Security Force

This audio and video features Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL), Barack Obama's upcoming Chief of Staff, talking about Obama's plan to force Americans into involuntary servitude for his Nazi-eque "civilian national security force."

You libs were apoplectic over President Bush's use of the Patriot Act? You should be frothing at the mouth and barking at the moon over this dictatorial Marxist scheme.

I served 10 years in the military. I know what it is to give of service to your country. I know what it is to do "50 pushups" (and many more). I know what it is to wear a uniform every day. I did it voluntarily, and in defense of this nation.

This is complete totalitarian bunk, and it should have every American--Democrat, Republican or Independent--up in arms.

There is no need for it, and it is totally 100% antithetical to everything American.

Of course, that describes most of Obama's agenda. But this may just be the worst of the worst.

"There can be nothing wrong with all Americans having a joint similar experience of civil ...what we call civil defense training or civil service...some sense of service to country in preparation, which will give people a sense of what it means to be an American."

America's Counties Still Red

Newsmax points out that, by county, America is still a red nation.

Urban areas with high population density can end up swinging results another way. For some reason that still escapes me, population density tends to breed liberalism. I don't know if it's that there isn't enough air to go around and folks in these areas get loopy from oxygen deprivation...or if the freedom of having a little elbow room as we do in the more rural areas inspires the traditional spirit of American independence...or something else entirely.

In any event, no huge changes through the last three presidential elections.

Conference Highlights Success of Therapy for Unwanted Same-Sex Attraction

The National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) recently held a conference in Denver to discuss the success of therapy which helps homosexuals recover from unwanted attraction to the same sex.

Like any habitual sin, homosexuality can be difficult to leave behind--especially with so many in society telling them that they can't get out of that sin, that they were born that way.

But the Bible makes it clear that people can leave homosexuality and other sins behind.

Like anything, though, if you don't want to leave it behind, you can't leave it behind. As a former drunk and a former smoker, I have some first hand knowledge of such things. I couldn't quit either...until I wanted to. But now I've been free of both for about 15 years.

NARTH and other ministries are there for homosexuals who do want to leave this immoral and unhealthy lifestyle behind.

Defining Freedom

Freedom is one of the core blessings of being an American.

But freedom isn't free. We've often said and heard that, but stop and think about it again: freedom isn't free.

It was purchased--and is maintained--at a high price.

That goes for our freedom here in America...and our eternal freedom that sets us free from bondage to habits, and free from a very bad place. Don't let either go to waste.

Palin in Her Home and on Ridiculous Rumors

More from Matt Lauer's interview with Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

In this segment she talks about some of the most vicious and wild rumors which came out of the Left in an attempt to discredit her.

We also see Governor Palin in her home cooking a meal. Her husband Todd also talks about the juggling of schedules necessary to make their busy family life work.

Piper also pipes in on what it was like for a young person on the campaign trail.

Sarah Palin on Why McCain Lost

In an interview with NBC's Matt Lauer, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin talks about why she thinks John McCain lost the election last week.

She also talks about rumors of conflicts between herself and McCain and from others in the campaign.

Palin also answers anonymous criticisms of herself, her wardrobe and other blather.

So Much Owed by So Many to So Few

“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”—Winston Churchill, August 20th, 1940.

This statement made by the British friend-of-America Winston Churchill described the heroism of the Royal Air Force who fought so hard to turn back Nazi Germany in the Battle of Britain.

But it is also true of the American people and our debt of gratitude we owe to the few among in each generation who have stepped up to defend America.

Today we salute America's veterans past and present.



From our friends at Americans for Limited Government.

Attacks on Marriage on Horizon in Five States

A homosexual publication says attacks on marriage are expected soon in five states.

Bills that would legalize same-sex marriage are expected to be taken up by law makers in five states when the new sessions of the legislatures begin. In three of the states - New York, New Jersey and New Hampshire -LGBT rights groups say there is a strong indication they will be passed.

Two other states also are likely to have marriage equality bills: Rhode Island and Maryland.

A bill to allow same-sex marriage was filed in the Maryland legislature in January, but failed to gain traction. It is expected to be refiled in the next session, but its fate is unknown. Legislation is also expected in Rhode Island.

Pro-family folks in these states had better mobilize NOW if they want to prevent marriage from being counterfeited in their states.

In fact, they should not only work to counter these assaults, but move forward with marriage protection amendments such as Proposition 8 just passed in California.

The states in question do not have marriage protection amendments in their state constitutions, and most do not even have a Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) to provide legal protection.

The number of states without marriage protection amendment is dwindling; with the recent passage of such amendments in California, Florida and Arizona, now 30 states have constitutionally protected the institution of marriage.

Homosexual activist Tim Gill and his allies have been busy in several of these states. The Gill Action Fund strategy works at a state level to get homosexual-friendly legislators elected to advance the homosexual agenda at the state level.

So far this agenda has mostly involved things like "restroom chaos" bills, "hate crime" laws and attempts to legislatively silence Christian criticism of homosexual behavior.

I will say one thing positive about this news: for once, it appears homosexual activists and their "useful idiots" are going about their attacks on marriage in the only manner suitable for our representative democracy.

Previous attempts to hijack marriage and force the concept of homosexual "marriage" on the people have always involved judicial activism with judges who acted like legislators and "created law" out of thin air.

But there's a reason they've gone the judicial route: legislators face re-election while judges usually do not.

And when given a choice, the people will almost never stand for the counterfeiting of society's most important institution: marriage.

Rep. Paul Ryan Calls for Fire Hose on Republican Party

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) in the Wall Street Journal today calls for a total shakeup of of the Republican Party.

He's right on, and the party should listen to him.

Ryan was considered for House Republican leadership, but declined due to the family considerations of his wife and three young children. As important as House leadership is, it's hard to fault Ryan for that dedication to his family; he has no more important job than his eternal investment in his children.

But congressional Republicans desperately need fresh leadership, a return to core principles and a clearly articulated vision for America.

The paragraph which best summarizes Ryan's advice is this:

We cannot simply put up roadblocks to the emboldened Democratic majority. We need to offer an alternative future. Absent reform, our federal government will double in size within a generation. We must change course from this path of stagnation, and we must have leaders willing to provide a path that keeps alive the American ideal and keeps our government limited.

As I pointed out at Red County today, Republicans squandered the historic opportunity given to them in the mid-1990s and have allowed themselves to become part of the problem.

While Democrat voters will not hold the Democrat Party accountable for being part of the problem (they still have blind faith the problem will somehow someday become "the salvation"), conservatives and most Republicans will not tolerate this betrayal of the party's core values.

Republican congressional leadership needs to wake up to this reality, take drastic action and get back to their roots.

Or they can sit back and get comfortable being in the minority for years to come...